Rookie of the Year will be announced tonight
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! I hope you had a nice weekend. If you’re a Ravens fan, my condolences.
Tonight at 6 p.m., this year’s Rookies of the Year will be announced on MLB Network. The finalists for the National League are Jackson Merrill, Jackson Chourio, and Paul Skenes. More importantly, the American League finalists are Austin Wells, Luis Gil, and our own Colton Cowser.
Cowser put up a 3.1 bWAR and 4.0 fWAR in 2023, batting .242/.321/.447 in 153 games. He was up and down offensively throughout the year but brought a defensive stability to the outfield that I for one did not see coming. Unlike Gunnar Henderson last year, there is no runaway choice in this race. But Cowser has a good chance to take home the award.
The Orioles haven’t made any big moves yet, although Mike Elias assured us that he has been very busy so far. We’ll see if that turns into anything. The big news over the weekend was the revelation that the Orioles realized taking the left field wall back so drastically was a bit of a whoopsie. They’ll bring the walls in, but not as far in as they used to be. And they’ll lower the fence to a more home-run-robbable height.
This is good news to right-handed hitters, especially Ryan Mountcastle. Mounty lost 11 home runs to Walltimore since it was put up, so maybe 2025 will be kinder to him. Perhaps the change will help Adley Rutschman, who lost seven dingers to the wall. And after watching Rutschman over the second half of this last season, he can use all the help he can get.
Links
More on Mateo in 2025 – MASN Sports
Roch Kubatko delved deeper into the Jorge Mateo injury and where he could fit in with the team in 2025.
The case for each 2024 Rookie of the Year finalist – MLB.com
The other two AL finalists are Yankees so basically the entire world is counting on Colton Cowser to be named Rookie of the Year.
2 Orioles prospects who should be protected from the Rule 5 draft, 2 who shouldn’t – Birds Watcher
Tomorrow is the deadline to add players to the 40-man roster and protect them from the Rule 5 draft.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have two Orioles birthday buddies. Steve Bechler was born on this day in 1979. Bechler tragically passed away during spring training 2003 when he suffered heat stroke. It was determined that Bechler was taking ephedra, which contributed to his death. As a result, the FDA banned the use of ephedra in the United States.
Also born on this day is timeless wonder Jamie Moyer (62). Moyer pitched for the Orioles from 1993-95 and pitched in the majors until 2012 at the age of 49.
On this day in 1954, the Orioles and Yankees completed a massive 17-player trade. Among others, the Orioles received Gene Woodling, Willy Miranda, and Gus Triandos.
In 1964, Brooks Robinson was named the AL MVP after a year where he hit 28 HR and led the league with 118 RBI.